1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a backup system which serves to manage and reproduce contents data such as music data, etc., which has been recorded by a recording device, according to a specific management method, and at the same time back up the contents data into another recording device according to a predetermined method prescribed from the standpoint of copyright, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been proposed a music server which is equipped with a hard disk drive and records a lot of music data onto the hard disk drive. The hard disk drive has a fast access speed and a large capacity, so with a music server that can record music data on the hard disk drive, a lot of music data can be managed efficiently. However, there is a possibility that when digital data such as music data, etc., is recorded on the hard disk drive, such digital data may be copied illegally and the writer's or author's right will not be protected. Accordingly, it is considered that a SCMS (Serial Copy Management System) is adopted, for example, as a countermeasure to protect the copyrights against illegal copying. The SCMS limits copying or reproduction in such a manner that the copying or reproduction is permitted only once from one digital equipment to another one.
However, there is a possibility that digital data is reproduced illegally when the hard disk drive itself is exchanged even with the adoption of this SCMS. In view of this, there has been disclosed a technique that makes it possible to protect the digital data even if the hard disk drive is exchanged in such a manner (see, for example, Japanese patent application laid-open No. 2001-118328). In this technique, by using a parameter for the individual authentication of the hard disk drive and parameters for access to the files on the hard disk drive, the protection of the digital data is made possible.
In addition, there arises a problem that when a large amount of digital data is stored on the hard disk drive, the digital data recorded on the hard disk drive will disappear if the hard disk drive is put into trouble. Thus, there has been disclosed a technique that manages the digital data recorded on a hard disk drive in a safe manner within the range where the problem of copyright does not occur (see, for example, Japanese patent application laid-open No. 2002-190153). In this technique, digital data is recorded on the hard disk drive, and at the same time is also recorded on a rewritable optical disc as backup data.
Another technique related to the backup of contents data is disclosed in Japanese patent application laid-open No. 2001-195509.